After my first trip to the mountains of Uzbekistan, I was so inspired by the resulting photos that the next week I set out on another journey towards Khodzhikent. This time, my destination was the valley of waterfalls and Tavaksay Canyon. This natural attraction is located approximately one and a half hours' drive from Tashkent.
How to Get There
We traveled to the waterfall valley by train. Trains to Khodzhikent depart from Tashkent's South Station, and we boarded the train at Salar station at 7:30 am. The final destination of the trip is the "Pargos" platform. The fare in the fall of 2023 was 6,000 Uzbek soms.
It's worth noting that just recently, the morning train to Khodzhikent was canceled, likely due to the impending winter and a decrease in tourist traffic. However, according to locals, it's now possible to reach the settlements from where interesting hiking routes to natural attractions begin by minibuses or taxis.
Stroll Through the Waterfall Valley
Reaching "Pargos" is only half the journey. The distance from the platform to the waterfalls is approximately eight and a half kilometers. You can walk, but we decided to save time and covered part of this distance by taxi. We caught a taxi on the spot, and the trip cost 30,000 soms.
About four kilometers from the waterfalls, the road ends, and you need to continue on foot. I would classify the walk in these places as easy routes suitable for both girls and elderly people. There are no dangerous or strenuous ascents, and the entire route runs along a small reservoir, making it impossible to get lost.
Along the way, tourists can enjoy magnificent views of Uzbekistan's nature. We encountered almost no other travelers on our route, but we did come across a herd of cows and a few friendly local dogs.
On the route, we encountered several small water rapids and two quite high waterfalls. The first one, according to online maps, is called Tashgul. You can admire it from both above and below.
In the distance, we saw another tall waterfall called Katta Tavaksay, but we decided to return to it next time, as we were afraid of being late for the return train. In reality, we arrived at the station almost an hour before departure, so when planning a trip to the waterfall valley, you can expect to reach the endpoint even if you move at a leisurely pace and stop for snacks.
The Waterfall Valley and Tavaksay Canyon are only the second item on the list of Uzbekistan's natural attractions that I want to visit, so in the future, I will definitely delight you with photos of other beautiful places in the country. For now, I invite you to join me on a hiking trip to the Charvak Reservoir Mountains.
Have a nice trip!
